


A Recipe for Lemon Cakes and Love

by OperaPhantom



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Bakery, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, And Stannis doesn't think he's good enough for Sansa, Background Loras/Renly - Freeform, Background Relationships, Bakery, Because there's not enough happiness in the world, But mostly happiness and fluff, F/M, Fluff, Happy, Light Angst, Light angst only because Stannis and Sansa are worried about what Shireen would think, Meddling Kids, Minor Renly Baratheon/Loras Tyrell, Myrcella has too much imagination, Myrcella is more perceptive than people think though, Rating May Change, Sansa aged up, Sansa deserves to be happy, Sansa is 22, Shireen is 14, Shireen loves her silly cousin, Stannis is 36, Stannis is a grumpy businessman
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-14
Updated: 2019-01-02
Packaged: 2019-05-07 01:01:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,048
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14659947
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OperaPhantom/pseuds/OperaPhantom
Summary: Sansa Stark works in a bakery with her two best friends. Stannis Baratheon is a workaholic, who doesn't realize just how lonely he is. Shireen stops by Sansa's bakery with her friends every day before school, and sometimes even after school. Deciding that her uncle is lonely, Myrcella convinces Shireen that Sansa would be perfect for him. Since they know Stannis won't consider asking her out, they hatch a plot to get the two together.Sansa finds herself attracted to Shireen's quiet, handsome father. Yes, his hair was receding a bit, but those intense eyes of his.... Wait, he's Shireen's father. Wonderful Shireen, who's like a younger sister to her. She can't hurt her. No, he's off-limits.Stannis finds himself attracted to the lovely Sansa Stark- oh no, she's Eddard's daughter. Robert's goddaughter. Who is much younger than him. No, she's off-limits.Shireen and the gang have their work cut out for them, but they'll do their best to get those two together!





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Sarah_Black](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sarah_Black/gifts), [ShipMaester](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShipMaester/gifts), [Shortsandramblings](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shortsandramblings/gifts), [Tommyginger](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tommyginger/gifts), [spittingfeathers](https://archiveofourown.org/users/spittingfeathers/gifts), [undercovercaptain](https://archiveofourown.org/users/undercovercaptain/gifts), [All the members of the Stansa family!](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=All+the+members+of+the+Stansa+family%21).



> Hello Stansa family! 'tis I, general lurker of Stansa fanfics, who has decided to write her own. Thanks to all the wonderful writers who've inspired me; Sarah_Black, Shortsandramblings, spittingfeathers, Tommyginger, ShipMaester, undercovercaptain, and all the other Stansa writers and shippers!  
> This is my first Stansa fic, and I don't have a beta, so any mistakes are my own (however, if anyone wants to beta for me, let me know, my tumblr is grittyknittygrrrl). Comments and kudos are always appreciated, and I hope you enjoy this!

The bell tinkled as Sansa walked through the door. She breathed in the smell of the vanilla, the cinnamon, the sugar. She smiled. These smells were the ones she loved. They reminded her of her mother baking delicious treats for her and her siblings back in Winterfell. When it snowed, her mother would make them hot chocolate and tea, then let them sample her latest baking experiment. Sansa's favorites were whenever her mother experimented with lemons. Lemon bread, lemon cheesecake, and lemonade-glazed lemon cookies were among her mother's best tests. She had loved baking with her mother, and Sansa had gotten very good at it. That was one of the reasons Margaery had asked her to join the bakery. Margaery had used her money to open it, and she had asked Sansa if she wanted to work there. Sansa had originally said yes just to help her friend, but it had rekindled her love of baking for other people. When she had moved to King's Landing, she missed being able to share her baking adventures with her family. Arya, Bran, and Rickon were her favorite guinea pigs, since they never seemed to gain weight, no matter what they ate.

“Sansa! You're here!” Jeyne smiled at her friend from behind the counter. “Today's the first day for the lemon blueberry muffins and the iced lemon cookies, right?”  
“Yep,” Sansa chirped, a smile on her face, “I decided to get a bit of an early start. Has Margaery been in yet?”  
Jeyne shook her head. “Margaery called. She said that Willas was having a hard time with his leg today, and he's supposed to be training a new horse. She's going to help him, then badger him into getting an emergency meeting with his physical therapist.”  
Sansa put her bag behind the counters, put on her apron, and tied her hair up into a loose, messy bun. “That's alright. We'll just manage without her.”  
Sansa started with the morning treats. The lemon blueberry muffins, the seasonal specialty, were what she started first. There were the usual items to make as well; cinnamon crumb muffins, soft with a crunchy, sugary topping; honey-oat bread, to be served with butter and jams; apple filled pasties, cinnamon date buns, sticky buns, herb and cheese scones, goat cheese and tomato tarts with bacon, and bagels. All were popped into the oven, and placed on racks to cool when they were done. Jeyne flowed in and out between the kitchen and the front of the store, preparing drinks for the customers. She fixed three different types of coffee, hot water for the different types of tea they carried, hot chocolate, and lemonade. Jeyne plugged her iPod in the speakers, and the sounds of jazz filled the comfortable bakery.

Time passed quickly, and then it was time to open the shop. Jeyne unlocked the door, switched the sign to “Open”, and their morning rush began. Many people wanted their food and drink to go, but others stayed. They sat in the comfortable dining chairs that were at the small tables scattered around the bakery, and read books, or the morning paper.  
“You look busy today.”  
Sansa looked up. She smiled at her three favorite customers. “I'll get your usuals ready. Did you already have your tea, Shireen, or do you want me to make one for you?”  
“Yes, please! Our kettle broke, so Dad and I have to go without tea. Both of us were really grumpy about it.”  
“I'll bet you were! We've seen you guys without your morning tea. It's like a couple of horror movie monsters.” Devan laughed as Myrcella finished speaking. Shireen lightly elbowed her cousin and friend.

Sansa laughed, then grabbed the pumpkin-cranberry oatmeal bread that was the favorite of Shireen, Devan's chocolate muffin, and Myrcella's iced lemon bread. She put them in their own bags, then slid two lemon-blueberry muffin in as well.  
“I finally got the recipe perfect, so here's a couple muffins. You guys were so helpful, being my test subjects.”  
“You make it sound like we were lab experiments!”  
Shireen rolled her eyes at Myrcella as she handed Sansa her debit card. The three friends rotated who paid for their morning treats.  
“Ignore her. Thank you for the extra muffins.”  
“You're welcome. I'll have your tea ready in a few moments.”

************************************************************

They sat down at a table to wait for Shireen's tea. Shireen looked over at her cousin, a little exasperated by her behavior with Sansa.  
“Really, Myrcella? You called us lab experiments?”  
“Well that's what it sounded like! You can't blame me. I can just imagine it; the evil witch, who lures innocent people into her clutches with baked treats, then sucks their life-force away so that she can stay young and beautiful. Good movie idea, yeah?” Shireen and Devan glanced at each other. Myrcella was going through a phase where she was obsessed horror movies. She said that she wanted to direct them after she graduated, but a few months ago, she'd wanted to be a scuba diving instructor. Neither Shireen, nor Devan, thought much of it, but when Myrcella was interested in something, it spread to every part of her life.  
“Still, you could be nicer to Sansa. She's really sweet, and she gave us extra muffins for free.”  
“Shireen's right, Myrcella. Besides, I like to think that I'm a little more handsome than an experiment.” Devan straightened his uniform tie, looking comically haughty. Shireen and Myrcella both laughed, and Myrcella tossed a balled up napkin at him.  
“Whatever, dude,” Myrcella laughed. Myrcella's mother, Shireen's aunt Cersei, hated it when Myrcella used slang. She wanted Myrcella and Tommen to be perfect, to conform to her idea of high society. Really, she wanted them to be as snobbish as she was. Shireen's cousin, Joffrey, followed in his mother's footsteps. Cella and Tommen, however, didn't. Shireen was glad about that, because Cella was one of her few friends.

Her to-go cup of tea was plopped down on their table.  
“Here you are, Shireen. I added the lemon slices and a pinch of sugar, just the way you like it.” Sansa smiled at her. Shireen took a sip from her cup.  
“It's perfect! I couldn't make it better myself. Thanks so much, Sansa.” Shireen, Myrcella, and Devan gathered up their belongings, and gave Sansa a hug.  
“You're welcome. See you later!”  
Shireen waved goodbye as they walked out the door and down the street to school. Myrcella looked at her cousin, a sly sort of look in her eyes.  
“Shireen, do you remember when we were talking about step-mothers, when Uncle Renly tried to set up my dad with Margaery Tyrell? We talked about what we'd want in a step-mother?”  
Shireen nodded, replying, “Yeah, what about it?”  
“I was just thinking that Sansa is really similar to the ideal step-mother you talked about.”  
Devan stared at Myrcella, then laughed. “She's too young for Shireen's dad, Myrcella. It'd be as weird as Margaery almost marrying your dad was.”  
Myrcella stuck her tongue out at him, then looked to Shireen. “There's an age difference, sure, but Sansa seems so much older than Margaery, doesn't she? But no matter what we think, would you be weirded out by it?”

Shireen was thoughtful, contemplating what might happen if Sansa did end up becoming her step-mother. Her father was lonely, though he didn't realize she knew; she doubted he knew himself. Sansa, despite being younger than her father, would be good for him. She was kind, sweet, delicate yet strong, and very pretty. Shireen knew that Sansa wouldn't become a wicked step-mother.  
“I don't think it would be a problem.”  
Myrcella grinned, but Shireen knew this grin; it was the one that meant Myrcella had found a project.  
“Well, then let's work on it!”  
“But what if Sansa doesn't want to go on a date with my dad?”  
Myrcella rolled her eyes. “We're not going to force her to go on a date with Uncle Stannis, just see if they like each other. I know she's single, and of course your dad is. I can just see it, Sansa and grumpy Uncle Stannis, looking at each other all puppy-dog eyes.”  
“I doubt that my dad would do that, but I think he'd be happier.”  
“All right then! Project Get-Sansa-And-Uncle-Stannis-Together is now a go!” Myrcella pumped her fist in the air.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shireen and the gang start off the plan to get Stannis and Sansa to date! Shireen is devious, Davos helps her, Sansa is sweet, and Stannis is grumpy at work. The school makes an error (according to Shireen), causing Stannis and Sansa to meet. Will our two darlings be swept away by love at first sight?  
> ...... If you think that's going to happen, then you don't know Stannis at all.

Stannis gritted his teeth as the meeting droned on. Why Robert had insisted on a meeting about “building teamwork and morale in the workplace”, and why he insisted that Stannis attend, Stannis had no idea. Massey's proposal was simply ludicrous. They did not need to force every employee at Baratheon Industries to go to a damn picnic. They did not need to force said employees to bring their families. They did not need to force said employees and families to play games. And they most certainly did not need to force him to attend! If Robert wanted to go and make a fool of himself by drinking too much and doing something stupid, he was a grown man and could make his own mistakes. Stannis, however, would not, and he would tell Robert exactly that.

Finally, Robert looked at his watch. “Lunchtime! That's enough for today. Massey, I think it's a damned good idea, so work with whoever you need to.” He stood up, the chair almost falling over with the force he used, and clapped Massey on the back. Massey grin grew even larger than it normally was. Stannis clenched his jaw; Massey would be insufferable because of this. Robert saw Stannis's expression, and seemed to know a talk was due. He hurried away at a surprising speed for a man of his bulk. Stannis let him go. He could always find him later.

Davos Seaworth caught Stannis just before the other man entered his office. “Stannis, how did the meeting go?”  
Stannis ground his teeth, and Davos chuckled. “That bad? Well, then, you'll be happy to know that I finished typing your comments on those reports, and sent them off to the department heads. You're welcome.”  
“Davos, I never meant for you to do that.”  
“I know,” Davos said, his eyes twinkling in merriment, “but I had nothing else to do, and you'll be swamped soon enough. You know how busy this time of year gets.”  
Stannis blinked at his one true friend, grateful. Some of the reports had been even more asinine than usual this time, and he'd been dreading typing up his commentary. “Thank you, Davos.” He cleared his throat, nodded, then headed into his office to eat lunch. Davos watched him go. He hoped Shireen's plan would work. After all, when she'd told him about her plan to spend an afternoon with her father, and had asked him for his help, well, how could he refuse her?

************************************************************

Sansa wiped her forehead with the back of her hand. The only downside, for her, about working in a bakery was the heat. Even though she looked as Southern as her Tully roots, she was more suited for the North. Taking a drink from her lemon water, she stretched and decided it was time for a break. Taking her apron off, she went to the front of the bakery, grabbing a couple of chocolate-oat scones. She sat in one of the overstuffed chairs, watching the birds and squirrels in the trees frolicking outside the large windows.  
“Hi Sansa!”  
She looked up, eyes widening. Shireen stood in the doorway, smiling and waving at her.  
“Shireen! What are you doing here? You've never come in after school before. Come, sit down. I'm just taking a break.”  
“Thanks,” Shireen said as she sat next to Sansa. Hopefully this would work. “School messed up dates for early outs, so my dad didn't know to pick me up early. Myrcella went to her mom's today, and I didn't want to join her. I tried calling my dad, but my phone died. Can I borrow yours, and let him know?”  
“Of course!” Sansa fished her phone from out of the bag at her waist. “Just let me unlock it- okay, here you go. Let me charge yours while you wait.” Sansa took the phone Shireen handed her. She had an iPhone, but Margaery used an Android like Shireen did. Her charger would work.

  
“Thanks.” Shireen smiled as Sansa walked away. Taking a deep breath, she dialed her dad, mentally crossing her fingers. Cella's plans didn't always turn out well, but it wasn't like they'd been able to think of anything else. After the second ring, her dad answered.  
“Stannis Baratheon. Who is this?”  
“Hi dad, it's me. I'm calling from a friend's phone. Mine died. Today was an early out day at school, but there was a glitch in their system, so notices weren't sent out.”  
“Is Myrcella with you?”  
“Cersei wanted Myrcella to go with her today, so no. Devan took the bus home, but he left before I could meet up with him.”  
Stannis mentally swore. No wonder she was calling him. He would never force her to spend time around Cersei. He was surprised that Devan wasn't with Shireen; it wasn't like the boy to leave without make sure Shireen was okay. Then he remembered that Davos mentioned his son had gotten some new game, and it was taking up all his time outside of school. He'd probably rushed home for that. “I have a report to finish, but after that I'll pick you up.” Wait, if the school was closed, where was she? “Are you still at the school?”  
“No, I'm at a bakery nearby. The one Myrcella, Devan, and I go to. I'm using their phone, and they're letting me charging mine. I'll text you the address.” Texting from Sansa's phone might be a good way for them to exchange phone numbers.  
She was safe. “Good. I'll be there in about an hour.”

“Will someone be picking you up?” Sansa walked back to Shireen, putting Shireen's phone to charge. Shireen smiled at her.  
“Yes. He's coming in about an hour. He just has to finish a report real quick. He works over at Dragonstone Tower, and traffic isn't good this time of day.”  
Sansa nodded. “Alright. Are you going to start on homework, or would you like to borrow a book?” Sansa had been the one to suggest having a little bookshelf in the bakery, so that people could read new books. They had a variety of books, and it was actually rather popular with their customers.  
“Thanks, but I'll start on my homework. My biology teacher gave us a huge assignment, but later tonight Devan's going to be livestreaming a new game he got. I want to watch in support.”  
“That's so sweet of you, Shireen.” Sansa beamed at her young friend. Despite what life had thrown at her, Shireen was just as sweet and kind as anyone could hope to be.  
“Oh, I texted him the address from your phone! I'm sorry, I forgot.”  
“It's okay. I think I can trust him with my phone number.” She didn't normally like it when people did that, but from the way Shireen talked about her father, she thought it highly unlikely that he would do anything wrong with it, or use it to harass her.

************************************************************

Stannis pulled into the parking lot attached to the bakery. It actually wasn't that far from the school, which made him glad. He wouldn't have stopped Shireen from going with her friends, but she'd never walked there alone before, at least to his knowledge. It was only about ten minutes away though, and just down the same street. Although, he would check with the school to make sure this didn't happen again. He stepped inside the bakery, and a wave of delicious scents wafted over him. He didn't enjoy excessively sugary treats, and he disliked bakeries or pastry shops because they always smelled sickly sweet. This bakery wasn't like that. This bakery smelled… homey. It reminded him of the few memories he had of his mother making special treats for them, before his parents had died.

Shireen stood up when she saw her dad walk in, slowly putting her homework into her backpack. Sansa was at the counter; this would be the perfect way to introduce them. She saw her dad walk over to her.  
“So this is the bakery you like.”  
She smiled at him. “Yep. They're very nice here, especially Sansa. She's the one who comes up with a lot of their recipes. Her pumpkin-cranberry oatmeal bread is my favorite.” She finished putting her things away. “I just want to let Sansa know you're here and I'm leaving.” Shireen smiled inwardly when she saw her father following her. She knew he'd want to meet whoever had looked after her, to thank them. She waited until Sansa finished with the customer she was helping, then walked up.  
“Thank you for letting me borrow the charger. This is my dad, Stannis Baratheon.”

Sansa wiped her hands on her apron, then reached out to shake Shireen's father's hand. Stannis Baratheon, was he Uncle Robert's brother? She knew he had a brother named Stannis, but he'd never come to the combined family gatherings and vacations. One time she'd overheard her father and Uncle Robert talking; Uncle Robert had said that it was as much Cersei's refusal as it was Stannis's.  
“Mr. Baratheon, I'm Sansa. It's nice to meet you. I'm glad you were able to pick up Shireen without any problems.”  
His face neutral, he shook her hand. “Miss Stark, thank you for looking after her this afternoon.”  
“It was no trouble. Shireen and her friends come in here all the time, and I was more than happy to help her. I remember how difficult it can be when the school makes a mistake with timing.” She paused, considering his mood. He didn't seem to be upset; if he was the Stannis Baratheon she was thinking of, he always looked a bit scowly. She decided it couldn't hurt to mention it. “This may sound odd, but are you related to Robert Baratheon? Father of Myrcella and Tommen?”

Stannis started a moment. The young woman was certainly beautiful, breathtakingly so. Just the sort of woman his brother would enjoy being around. Was she one of Robert's many conquests or one-night stands, trying to get in touch with him after he stopped contacting her? “Yes. He's my brother,” he said hesitantly. Was she going to burst into a plea for help?  
“My father is Eddard Stark, a friend of your brother's.” Sansa smiled. “I just wanted to say that if something like this happens again, and for some reason you aren't able to pick up Shireen, I'd be happy to take her home.” She'd wanted to offer anyway; because of all her siblings, with such different schedules, they'd often had to wait a long time for their mother when something like this happened to them. She remembered how awkward it had been. With their families being so close, maybe Shireen's father would accept the offer, even though they hadn't really met before.

Stannis's eyes narrowed slightly. Eddard Stark had been his brother's friend for years. Robert always called Stark, “the brother I wish I had”. He'd been jealous of the relationship between them for a long time. It wasn't until a couple years ago that Stannis realized it wasn't by Eddard's doing, but by his brother's whims. Thinking over her offer, he knew Eddard had two daughters. The older one was, by Robert's accounts, mature beyond her years, and a perfect lady. The younger one was wild, but as he thought about it, she had the Stark coloring, with brown hair and grey eyes. The young woman in front of him looked like a Tully; she must be the older one. He looked at her closely. She seemed sincere, not mocking, or trying to get something from him. Shireen often mentioned how kind she was to her; it was likely the young woman was simply trying to help.  
“Thank you, I appreciate the offer. Let me give you my cell phone number. I always have it with me.”

Shireen watched as they exchanged numbers. She never would have guessed that they'd do part of her work for her! She watched excitedly as they smiled, at each other. Cella might have been onto something after all; when her dad looked at Sansa, he looked… softer. Most people wouldn't think that, but they didn't know her dad like she did. This was a good sign. She waved to Sansa as she and her dad walked out the door. She couldn't wait to text Cella and Devan!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello all! Time for some of my explainations regarding events.  
> In this story, Sansa is 23, Stannis is 36, and Shireen is 14. Myrcella is also 14, and Devan is 15.  
> Robert and Ned are 44, Catelyn is 43, Renly is 29.  
> Stannis and Selyse divorced when Shireen was very young, but so far I haven't written Selyse into the story. I don't know if she will ever appear.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sansa ruminates on Stannis Baratheon, Shireen's intense-yet-attractive father. Myrcella, Shireen, and Devan are incredibly thankful for video chat. Deciding to be devious again, they come up with another plan to throw Sansa and Stannis together.

Sansa watched as Shireen and her father – Stannis – walked out of the bakery. He'd certainly been very… intense. Stannis had scowled the entire time, but Shireen hadn't acted like it was unusual. His eyes though, they were incredible; a deep blue, darker than her Tully eyes. And when they'd left, his mouth had quirked up, like it was his version of a smile. He wasn't unattractive, even with his receding hair. She'd ask her parents about Stannis later. It had been so long since she'd gone on a date. After what happened Joffrey, and then with Harry… too many guys reminded her of them. Stannis though, he was mature, steady. He wouldn't cheat, or rage, or both. And he wasn't unattractive; severe, maybe, but when he looked at Shireen, Sansa could see a softening in his face. She wondered what he'd look like if he softened a little more. Maybe they could- Shireen. Sansa's stopped immediately as she thought of her young friend. What would Shireen think, if Sansa started dating her father? She knew Stannis was younger than her own father, but he was old enough to have a fourteen year old daughter. He must be older than she was by several years. Come to think of it, there were only nine years between her and Shireen. How awkward would it be for her, to have someone that could be her older sister dating her father? Shireen mentioned her parents were divorced, and had been for a long time; that didn't mean she was okay with her father dating Sansa. Besides, he probably wasn't even interested in her.

“Why the long face, tree girl?” Sansa turned around as Margaery entered from the kitchen.  
“Tree girl?” Where had Margaery come up with that one?  
Her friend grinned mischievously. “You look as happy as old Stannis Baratheon was. With that look, your red hair, and your pale skin, you look like one of those carved weirwood trees you Northerners used to pray to. What's wrong?”  
Sansa shook her head, not wanting to confide her feelings just yet. “Nothing. Just a little surprised to meet him.”  
“But you Starks hang out with the Baratheons all the time!” Margaery exclaimed, surprise clear in her voice.  
“With Robert and his kids, sometimes Renly, too. But Stannis and Shireen have never been to any of the parties. From what I know, Robert and Stannis never got along, and Cersei didn't like him, or Shireen.”  
Margaery rolled her eyes at the mention of Robert's ex-wife. “Ugh. Cersei's so vain, she probably thought they weren't attractive enough to be around her,” she said disdainfully. “The Lannisters may be old money, but they act so nouveau riche.”

Sansa nodded as she busied herself with fixing the displays. The Tyrells and the Starks were also old money, but the Starks had always had a thing about making your own way, despite the family income; that was one of the reasons she was working. Margaery's parents were far more free with money than Sansa's were. The Tyrell money was the reason Margaery had been able to open the bakery. They did have limits, however; they were never gauche. The Lannisters were obscenely wealthy. Cersei reveled in displaying her wealth. The gaudier the display, the better she liked it. Cersei also only liked blandly attractive people, the ones who looked like they stepped out of a magazine. Stannis, with his thinning hair and his less-than-conventional attractiveness, would never be someone Cersei chose to spend time with.  
“She is pretty shallow, but Robert also never made it a secret that Stannis didn't like her, or Robert himself, much either.”  
Margaery hopped up to sit on a stool behind the counter. “I'm not surprised he doesn't like Robert. Grandmother says the reason Baratheon Industries has done so well is because of Stannis, even though Robert takes the credit. That's got to sting a bit, especially since Robert is such a horndog. And Cersei is just a bitch; I don't think anyone actually likes her. They only pretend to, so they can get favors from her. Now,” she said as she lightly smacked Sansa's rear, “let's get ready for that after-work rush! Move it, girl!”

******************************************************************************************************

“Hold on, Devan's almost ready.”  
“Hurry up, Dev! I need to know what happened!”  
Shireen's laptop brightened. A window of Devan's shirt popped up next to a window of Myrcella. The shirt moved back, and Devan sat down in his chair.  
“That should fix it. Can you both see me?”  
Both girls nodded. Myrcella set her feet up on her desk, checking that the nail polish on her toes was drying properly. “Now spill it Shireen. What happened today?”  
Shireen smiled. She explained how she'd gotten Uncle Davos to help get her dad to pick her up. “I told him I wanted to spend some extra time with Dad, so he was happy to help.” She told her friends about her dead phone, and how her dad and Sansa had met.  
Myrcella squealed when she heard about the phone numbers. “You see! I told you they're perfect for each other!” she said, squealing again. Devan covered his ears to protect himself from Cella's noises, which were probably making dogs all over Westeros and Essos cower in pain.  
Shireen sighed at her cousin. “Cella, I don't know if they're perfect, but, Dad did look… softer. If they do get together, it might take a long time.”  
Devan nodded. “Shireen's right, Cella. Remember what you told us about Joffrey?”  
“Uncle Stannis is nothing like Joffrey! But actually, I remember something about Sansa and another guy, Harry… something. He treated her badly, but nothing like Joffrey. I think he maybe cheated on her.”  
“Maybe Sansa's nervous about guys because of that. Has she dated anyone else?” Both girls stared at Devan, and shook their heads. He nodded. “I rest my case,” he said, leaning back in his chair and trying to look dignified. He leaned back too far, almost toppling over, but caught himself on his desk. Shireen and Myrcella laughed as his chair thudded to the ground.

“Devan, are you all right? What's that noise?” A woman's faint voice drifted through the laptop speakers as she knocked on the door to Devan's room.  
“Yes, Mom. Stood up too fast and knocked my chair over. Cella and Shireen laughed.”  
“I've told you to be careful,” she lectured, “but say hello to the girls for me.”  
Devan waited a few moments. He turned back to the screen, where his friends were still giggling. “Laugh it up, fuzzballs. She's gone now.”  
“Good. Now we have to figure out the next part of Project Get-Sansa-And-Uncle-Stannis-Together!” Myrcella rubbed her hands together gleefully. “Shireen, do you have anything else to report, anything that we could use?”  
Shireen thought hard. “Well, he said that your dad was on a kick about building morale in the company, but-”  
“That's it!” Cella shrieked, making the others cover their ears, “That's perfect! I'll tell Dad that I heard about his work, and suggest a company-wide coffee and pastry thing. I'll say Uncle Stannis would be perfect for putting it together, because he's always so organized. Then, I'll mention Sansa's bakery, and how it would be great for business for them to get a large order from a big company, like Baratheon Industries. Uncle Stannis and Sansa will have to spend time together!”  
Shireen was apprehensive. “I don't know, Cella. There's like, over a thousand people in the company. Wouldn't that be too much for Sansa?”  
“I know that! It wouldn't be for the whole company, silly, just the main branch. There's only, what, three hundred people there?”  
“Three hundred and forty-two, which is still a lot,” Devan countered. Myrcella just shrugged.  
“Sansa can do it. The important thing is that her and Uncle Stannis spend time together.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi all!  
> Sorry for the late update. Life has been far more crazy than usual this past month, and I barely had time to write. When I did, my computer decided to restart...... which meant three chapters were lost, because it hadn't saved when I thought it did. T_T  
> Anyways, enjoy Margaery, Sansa, Shireen, Devan, and Myrcella! Stannis will be appearing in the next chapter.  
> Thanks for reading!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stannis deals with the effects of the kids's plotting. While it means more work for him, he does get to see Sansa Stark again. Sansa, when she finds out, gets to see the attractive Stannis Baratheon again.

Stannis glared at the email. He was sorely tempted to pour himself a glass of whiskey, but he didn't keep any in the house. He might have to, if Robert started pulling this nonsense on a regular basis. Stannis rubbed his face, then popped a couple aspirin to stop the headache he could feel coming on. He'd come home to an email from Robert to the whole company that there was a special social in two weeks. There would be pastries, tea, and coffee. Everyone from the main branch was invited to attend, so they could work on building “interdepartmental friendships”. Stannis had a second email, only for him. Robert insisted that Stannis be in charge of the event. It was absurd for Robert to foist the responsibilities onto him; Massey was the one who put these foolish notions into his brother's head, and Massey should be the one to deal with the fallout.

His laptop pinged, letting him know he had another message from Robert. Stannis ground his teeth as he opened it, but stopped as he read the email.  
_Stannis,_  
 _Forgot to mention I already picked out the food. Ned's oldest girl, Sansa, runs a bakery. Myrcella goes there with her friends, she says it's good. Doing an event like this would be quite a boost for her, maybe even put some more customers her way. Work with her for the food. If you hire anyone else, I'll have you work with Massey for the rest of your career._  
 _Cheers,_  
 _Your big brother_

Stannis was still upset, but slightly more hopeful than before- slightly. The caterer, at least, was already picked out. He would get to see the lovely Sansa Stark again. He'd observed, as they'd left, that she had a genuine affection for Shireen, an almost motherly feeling. He was relieved; Selyse didn't keep much contact with Shireen, beyond the regular birthday and holiday cards. Marya Seaworth, Davos's wife, had ensured that any damage from Selyse's lack of contact was mitigated. Still, he knew Shireen had less female role models than many other girls did. Sansa provided an older sister figure for her, someone to look up to. Perhaps someone to answer questions Shireen had about growing up. Thinking back, he did recall a few instances when Shireen wanted something that had been recommended by her bakery friend, a particular soap, or bath bomb, or piece of clothing. It was likely this person was Sansa.

He leaned forward in his desk chair, furiously typing at his laptop. He needed to see how many people would show up. Sansa would need to know how many people to bake for. Food allergies, or other special dietary requirements, would need to be found out as well. An email was quickly sent off to all employees in their building. It would be replied to by day after tomorrow, at the latest.

Stannis stopped before he left his office. Had Robert thought to contact Sansa? If he hadn't, Stannis should. He didn't have her email, but he did have the phone number she'd given him earlier that day. It was her cell phone, so a quick text could work. If she didn't want the job, for whatever reason, it would be best to find out now. He was already being overworked by Robert; there was no reason for her to be if she didn't want to.

 _Stannis: Hello, Sansa Stark? This is Stannis Baratheon, Shireen's father. You gave me your number earlier today. Are you still awake?_  
Was that too creepy? It was rather late, and perhaps she'd already gone to bed. He thought bakers had early hours. She had given him her number in case Shireen needed help, not to contact about other things. Wait, there it was.

_Sansa Stark: Hello! Yes, I am. Do you need my help tomorrow with Shireen?_

_Stannis: No, I have a question for you. Robert is having a breakfast social of sorts in two weeks, for the employees of Baratheon Industries; pastries, tea, and coffee will be served, to further interdepartmental friendships. Myrcella suggested you for pastries, and Robert agreed. I don't know if he contacted you already, but I wanted to know if you would accept the job._

_Sansa Stark: He hasn't. How many people will be there?_

_Stannis: Robert just told me, so I don't know the exact number at the moment. There are three hundred and forty-two people employed at our branch, so no more than enough to feed them. There may be less, if people choose not to attend, since this is not a required event. I know this is a large job, and if you wish to decline, I completely understand. If you do accept, I will be the Baratheon you'll be dealing with. Robert has assigned me to this affair._

After he sent it, Stannis wished he hadn't called it an affair. That sounded illicit, and wrong. Besides, he doubted she was attracted to him as he was to her. Stannis knew he was not a great prize; Selyse and the social climbers after her had all made that known. He waited, hoping to see those three little dots appear. Was she feeling pressured to accept? He wondered what she was thinking.

**********************************************************************************************

Sansa puttered about her flat, getting ready for bed. Her empty tea mug was in the sink. The security alarm was set. She finished braiding her hair, when her phone dinged. Who was texting her? She looked at the screen, and saw it was from Stannis Baratheon. A text already, although she wasn't upset. Perhaps he needed help with Shireen. It wasn't as if he wanted to chat with her. Sadly.

The next text pushed thoughts of Shireen out of her mind. She smiled as she leaned closer to her phone, telling her heart to stop tap dancing. He was only offering her a job, not a date. Not that she could date him anyway; Shireen and her feelings must be considered. Even though this wasn't a date offer, the job would be nice. Margaery wanted to expand out with catering like this. Baratheon Industries was large, but also very important. Their name had clout. Anyone who did work for them was practically guaranteed to have more businesses hire them, whether it was for catering or anything else. Margaery would be overjoyed.

Although trust Uncle Robert to have forgotten to tell her about it, she thought as she shook her head, smiling wryly. Sansa quickly texted Stannis back. Her toes started tapping against her bed, impatient for his response. Would she get to work with him on this? She probably wouldn't. Stannis was just below Uncle Robert in terms of importance. This would likely be shuffled off to someone else. She just hoped it wasn't Justin Massey. The last time she'd seen Uncle Robert, Massey had dropped by to give him some urgent files; he'd spent almost every moment, when Uncle Robert wasn't looking, smiling and leering at her. She could see why some women thought he was charming. He was good-looking, and his smile was nice. His looks and smile would never be enough to tempt her. There was too much of Harry in him, too many similarities. She knew Massey would constantly flirt with her while they worked. Working with him wouldn't be as pleasant as working with Stannis.

Her phone dinged again. She quickly brought up the text. Her eyes widened, and her eyebrows shot up almost to her hairline. Over three hundred people! Even is less showed up, it would still be a large job. Would Margaery want to take this on? Could they even manage it? Maybe Loras could help Margaery with the regular customers while she and Jeyne focused on baking. Arya might even help, after school. Despite her dislike of traditionally feminine things, Arya was an excellent cook and baker.

As she finished reading the text, her heart started tap dancing again. She would be working with him! No annoyance named Justin Massey for her. Instead, a tall, dark-eyed, somber man. She blushed as she read the word “affair”. She knew he meant nothing by it. That didn't stop her imagination, though. The word put all sorts of deliciously suggestive ideas in her head. Secret meetings in dimly-lit cafes, little notes of yearning, searing gazes full of warmth and desire. Lots of passionate, mind-blowing sex. Sansa shook herself, trying to get rid of those thoughts. She had to focus. Stannis was waiting for her response

_Sansa: I have to check with Margaery Tyrell. She's actually in charge of the bakery. I can get back to you tomorrow, around 10am, with a definite response. I'm pretty sure she'll say yes, but I can't commit yet._

_Stannis B: I understand. I look forward to your response. It's rather late, so I'll let you sleep. I imagine bakers have early hours. Goodnight, Ms. Stark._

_Sansa: Goodnight, Mr. Baratheon. I'll let you know ASAP._

Stannis was right; she did have an early morning. She put away her phone. Setting her alarm, she slipper underneath the covers of her bed. And if she dreamed of a tall, older man with intense blue eyes and a receding hairline, well, who had to know?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Another chapter!  
> In case anyone is confused, Stannis has Sansa as "Sansa Stark" in his phone. Sansa has him as "Stannis B" in her phone.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sansa informs an ecstatic Margaery of the Baratheon job offer. Shireen and the gang are curious, and encouraged, by Sansa's late appearance to the bakery. More plotting ensues, because how will those two fall in love if they don't spend time together?  
> Stannis finds his thoughts turning to the lovely and enchanting Ms. Stark. This assignment is turning out to be more enjoyable than he imagined it would.

“Margaery!” Sansa called out to her friend, waving at her before she dashed through the door. Her hand on the wall, she tried to slow her breathing. Margaery stared at her.  
“What is up with you? Why were you running? I know you're a little late, but that's no reason to kill yourself.”  
Sansa waved the questions away. It took her forever to fall asleep after her short texting session with Stannis. “'m fine, need to ask you something. Stannis texted me last night-”  
“Ooh, I bet that made your heart go all aflutter!” Margaery chirped, waggling her eyebrows suggestively.  
Sansa rolled her eyes, although her friend had been right. Not that she'd ever tell Margaery; it would make her insufferably smug. “Nothing like that. Robert's planning an event for Baratheon Industries, a breakfast social thing. He wants tea, coffee, pastries. Myrcella told him about us, so he wants us to do the job. Stannis let me know last night.”  
Margaery clapped her hands, twirling around and grinning like a maniac. “This is it, this is it!” she yelled, jumping up at down. Three customers sitting in the shop looked up from their books and laptops, startled. Sansa mouthed a sorry at them, while Margaery danced around. Suddenly, she stopped, and rushed up to Sansa.  
“How many people?”  
“That's the thing, Stannis doesn't know for sure. Robert just started setting it up, and his planning skills are, well…” Sansa shrugged. “It's only for the main branch, and Stannis said there's three hundred and forty-two people who work there. I told Stannis I'd get back to him today with your answer.”  
“Even if they all show up, we can do this. We have to! Let's see, Loras could help, so Jeyne could work in back. Would your sister be willing to help us? Oh Sansa, if this goes well, just think of how much it could help us! Tell Stannis we'll take the job.”

Margaery rushed downstairs to her office to plan, ignoring Sansa. Sansa just shook her head at her friend's fervor. She might as well text Stannis. Even though he was probably at work, time was essential for something like this. Texting was the fastest way to reach him.

_Sansa: We'll take the job, Margaery agreed._

_Stannis B: Thank you for your prompt reply. By tomorrow I should know how many people we can expect._

The rest of day was busy, but manageable. In the late afternoon, three familiar faces came in to the bakery. Shireen, Devan, and Myrcella all waved at Sansa. She smiled at her three favorite customers.  
“Well hello there! You three rarely come in after school. How are you doing today?”  
“School was okay.” Myrcella shrugged.  
“I got an A on my biology exam!” Devan bragged, his face split by a huge grin.  
“Congratulations! That's the one you were so worried about, wasn't it? Will you three have your usuals today?”  
The trio nodded. Sansa grabbed their goodies, and tucked an extra chocolate chip cookie in Devan's bag. “A little celebratory treat for you,” Sansa said, winking as she gave him the bag. Devan's smile grew even bigger; the chocolate chip cookies were absolutely divine, but also extremely popular, often selling out before he could get one.  
“We didn't see you here this morning. Are you okay?” Shireen queried.  
Sansa nodded. “I had a tough time sleeping last night. I slept through my alarm, and showed up late. I'm didn't mean to worry you guys.”  
“We're just glad you're okay,” Shireen said, smiling at the older woman.  
“We wondered if you'd had a hot date last night,” Myrcella commented.

Sansa started, then laughed. “No, nothing like that.” Myrcella's comment hit a little too close for comfort. It said a lot about her love life, when a simple text conversation with Stannis made her more excited than any fancy date with Joffrey or Harry had. It also said a lot about her attraction to him. She mentally shook herself. She'd only met him once, and that was yesterday. It was too soon to be this attracted to him… wasn't it?

Myrcella grinned when Sansa drifted off into her thoughts. She looked at her friends, then back at Sansa. “You look like you're still tired. We'll be on our way. Glad you didn't die!” She dragged them to an empty table at the back of the bakery.  
“'Glad you didn't die'? Really, Cella, really?” Shireen glared at her cousin. Myrcella just continued to grin.  
“Whatever. Didn't you see how she was totally thinking about your dad and last night? Maybe Uncle Stannis has more game than I thought!”  
Shireen shuddered, glaring at Myrcella. “Cella, you're my cousin and I love you, but if you talk about my dad's game again, I will vomit all over you. I don't want to think about that.”  
“Neither do I,” chimed in Devan.  
Myrcella tossed her golden curls over her shoulder. “Well, you two will have to think about it a little bit. We can't rest until they're actually together, like together-together.” She turned to face Shireen. “Has your dad said anything about Sansa?”  
“Over breakfast he mentioned that he was in charge of the event, and that he was hiring Sansa for the catering. He was worried if the job might be too big for her.”  
“Probably wondering if something else might be too big for her,” Myrcella muttered as she waggled her eyebrows. Shireen made a disgusted face, and faked retching. Devan joined her. Myrcella tossed a couple napkins at her friends. “Stop that. We have to think. They need to see each other more often.” Myrcella tapped her chin, lost in thought.  
“Shireen, how about you tell your dad to ask for a tasting of whatever's going to be served?”  
Myrcella gasped. “Devan, you're a genius!” He sat up straighter, and comically puffed up his chest. The girls giggled at his silliness, and he grinned. Myrcella turned to Shireen. “You should tell him to do it when the bakery's closed, so that they can focus on the food. Also, they can focus on each other, without annoying customers to interrupt them. Think he'll go for it?”  
Shireen nodded. “It sounds like a very practical idea, so yes.”  
“Good! Devan, you see if you can have your dad suggest it as well. Let's go see if we can get them on a date!” Myrcella nodded decisively. They went off home to finish their homework, so they would have enough time to for their plotting.

 

************************************************************

 

Stannis leaned back in his black, buttery soft leather office chair. Robert had given it to him as a Christmas present one year. He knew Robert probably spent far too much money on it, but it was a very comfortable chair. He pushed his shirt sleeves further up his arms, causing the cuffs to rest just below his elbows. Finally, all the employees had responded regarding the company social. Two hundred and ninety-eight employees would be there. Now he had to relay that information to Ms. Stark. She'd said that they would be able to serve even the full three hundred and forty-two people, but he still wondered if she felt pressured to accept, whether by Robert, Margaery Tyrell, or even herself. He didn't, he couldn't, trust an e-mail or phone call to properly convey her feelings on the matter. No, there was nothing for it. He would simply have to see her in person.

The front door squeaked shut; that was supposed to be fixed today. He made a note to contact the handyman.  
“Dad, I'm home!” Shireen called out to him. She'd gone to Devan's after school, something about math work. Despite being a grade below him, Shireen was in Devan's math class. He was proud of how she understood that not everyone grasped the subject as quickly as she did, and that she often tutored other students who didn't do as well as her. With Shireen's help, Devan had gone from almost failing, to understanding the subject reasonably well. Luckily, she hadn't inherited all of his uneasiness around people.

The door of his office opened. Shireen plopped herself down in the overstuffed chair opposite his desk. “How was work today?”  
“It was tolerable. How was school? You had a PE test today, correct?”  
Shireen nodded. “Yes, we did. The test was cancelled because the sprinkler system broke and flooded the track. So school was great.”  
Stannis knew that, while his daughter was healthy and in good physical condition, she hated the PE class. He understood; the class was focused on group standards, instead of individual needs. She and Myrcella may play dancing video games with ridiculous music, but not only did they enjoy them, they kept the girls healthy. Like Shireen, he never enjoyed PE classes when he was in school, although he developed a liking for exercise later; his small home gym was proof of that.

He wondered if Ms. Stark had enjoyed PE. What might she do for exercise? He doubted strength training was her preference. Perhaps dancing? Stannis stared unseeing at his laptop. He could easily imagine her as a ballerina. Her long, red hair put up in a bun, with strands trailing down her elegant neck. The soft pink of the leotard complimenting her porcelain skin. Her long, graceful limbs stretched out en pointe. She would be ethereal.

Shireen shifted in her seat. The small noise startled Stannis out of his reverie. He scolded himself for not paying attention to Shireen as he should. This was her time. She knew that when she talked to him, she was his focus. Stannis shouldn't be daydreaming about a baker he'd only seen once, however lovely she was. Ms. Stark kept invading his thoughts. He'd never had this trouble before. Perhaps it was a sign that he needed to get out some more, meet new people. As if anyone could hold his interest the way Ms. Stark was…

“Dad, Myrcella mentioned that Uncle Robert's asking Sansa's bakery to cater a company breakfast. How are you going to know what to order?”  
Stannis blinked. Shireen hadn't shown much interest in company matters before, although that was likely because she hadn't known the people involved so well. She did make an interesting point. “It would be too difficult to get everyone what they wish. I was planning on asking Ms. Stark to provide whatever she thinks would be best.”  
“Wouldn't that be putting a lot of pressure on her? I'm not trying to boss you around, but this even means a lot to Sansa and her co-workers. They've been trying to get something like this for a long time. Maybe you could arrange a meeting at the bakery, so that you can taste the possibilities. Their best-selling stuff would be a good start.”  
Shireen was right. By leaving so much up to Ms. Stark, he would be causing her more stress; the very thing he wanted to avoid. “That's a very good idea, Shireen. I'll find out what allergies and restrictions people may have, and we can further refine the choices from them. Although I doubt I will need to taste the pastries. I trust Ms. Stark's judgement.”  
“Won't Uncle Robert want an idea of what they taste like?”  
Robert likely would ask something along those lines. “You're right, he will,” Stannis sighed, “I'll call Ms. Stark and set up an appointment as soon as possible.” Perhaps this wasn't a bad idea; he would get to see the charming Ms. Stark again. Only so that he could assure himself she wasn't feeling pressured to accept this job, of course.

“I have homework to finish. Don't forget, it's salmon night!” Shireen picked up her backpack and nonchalantly walked to her room. As soon as she was inside, she quickly shut the door. Opening up her laptop, she tapped her toes and waited impatiently for it to connect to the video chat. Myrcella's face popped up; Devan had soccer practice  
“So how'd it go? Is he going to taste the goodies?” Myrcella giggled.  
Shireen beamed, ignoring her cousin's silliness. “He bought it. I just kept emphasizing how important this was to Sansa, and how stressful it would be to be in charge of all the decisions. He's about to call her.”  
“That's great!” Myrcella squealed. “If only we knew what they're saying.” Myrcella's face wrinkled up in exaggerated thought. “Can you sneak me in there? Please?” She flashed her puppy dog eyes.  
Unfortunately for Myrcella, Shireen was immune to them by now. “I'm not sure. I don't want to invade his privacy.”  
“C'mon, just sneak close by! I'll be quiet, I promise. It'll be a good way to find out just how attracted they are to each other.”  
“You're just being nosey, but okay. Let's see if I can do this without getting caught…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi all! A very, very late chapter. I decided to take a larger course load this semester. Add in a persnickety and unenjoyable professor, and my writing time has been severely limited. I also had writer's block for a couple months.  
> Hopefully I'll have another chapter up in the next couple of weeks. I live in Northern California and my college was closed for a week and a half because of the dangerous air quality, thanks to Camp Fire some of y'all might have heard about. My professors aren't adjusting the workload though, so I'm trying to get all the assignments done without going crazy. If I don't have the next chapter up by the 17th, it'll definitely be up by Christmas.  
> Thanks for reading! Any comments or kudos are greatly appreciated.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stannis and Sansa agree to meet to decide on the menu for the Baratheon Corporation event, and Stannis realizes he likes Ms. Stark. He likes her very, very much.
> 
> Shireen and Myrcella find out their plan is going well, and Myrcella comes up with another idea that could make Stannis and Sansa spend more time together.
> 
> Sansa has a rather nice dream about a certain blue-eyed businessman, and comes to some conclusions about her feelings for him. Margaery helps a bit.

Picking up his phone, Stannis ordered dinner to be delivered. When he was done, Stannis stared at his phone, then at his desk clock, and then back at his phone. Should he call? No, a text would be easier. On the other hand, he wouldn't be able to hear her harmonious voice. He swallowed uncontrollably. Why was he so nervous? This was simply a business matter. He had done this dozens of times before. Although not with Ms. Stark, as a traitorous part of his brain reminded him.

Before he could lose his nerve, he picked up his phone and dialed her number. The phone kept ringing. Ms. Stark probably wouldn't answer. She was young, and vibrant. She would probably be out with friends, or a date. Some young, model-looking lout, who would paw at her with alcohol-soaked breath. Stannis stamped down the irrational surge of jealousy he felt. There was no need for it. After all, it wasn't as if he wanted to be her date. An image formed in his mind's eye. Ms. Stark, her long hair rippling behind her in the sea breeze, wearing a simple dress, standing at the handrails of his boat. Watching the sun set in front of her, she doesn't notice as he steps behind her, covering her shoulders with his blazer to ward off the chill. She looks at him over her shoulder, smiling as he wraps his arms around her. Leaning up towards him, her lips part invitingly-

“Hello? Mr. Baratheon?” Ms. Stark's voice startled him out of his reverie. “Hello? Are you there? Is everything okay?”  
“Yes, I'm here. Apologies. My pen rolled under my desk, and I was away from the phone.” Stannis grimaced at his flimsy excuse. He couldn't exactly admit that he'd been fantasizing about being on a date with her.  
“Oh, I'm just glad you're okay.”  
Stannis mentally shook himself. “Ms. Stark, I wanted to let you know that I have the final number for the event. There will be two hundred and ninety-eight people in attendance. I still do not have a list of allergies and dietary restrictions, but I should have it by tomorrow.”  
“Two hundred- wow, that's a lot.” Ms. Stark's voice held a note of surprise. Stannis's worry resurfaced; was this more than she could handle? He had to see her again, in person.  
“Ms. Stark, I was wondering if I could meet with you to talk about this event in more depth. Also, Shireen suggested that I ask you for your best-selling items, to start with. She reminded me that my brother, being the way he is, will want me to report how they taste. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.”  
“Oh, it's no trouble at all! I actually expected you'd want to sample what we'll be making. I'll make some of our best-sellers. Once you have the list of allergies and all that, we can refine our menu. We've made several gluten-free items before, as well as items for other dietary needs. Would you like to meet at the bakery? Or would you prefer me to bring the samples to your work?”  
“Perhaps the bakery? Some of my colleagues would impose themselves in the project if they knew there was food involved.” Namely Justin Massey.  
“You would deprive your colleagues of baked goods? How deplorable.” Stannis flushed with indignation, but then he heard the mirth in her voice. He decided to play along.  
“Yes, some of them. Particularly Robert, Renly, and Massey. They don't need an excuse to not do their work.”  
“Oh, is Justin Massey involved in this?”  
Stannis was puzzled by the hesitation he heard in her voice. Massey was considered quite the charmer by many women at work, but did he have a darker side? Had he done something to Ms. Stark? He resolved to find out what happened, and to make sure Massey stayed far away from this project. “No, Massey is not involved. Just myself, and possibly Davos Seaworth, my colleague.”  
“Oh, he's Devan's father! So that's why he and Shireen have known each other for so long. Sorry, that probably sounded weird. It's just obvious that Shireen and Devan have known each other a long time, but I never really knew how. That sounded nosey, but I'm not nosey, I swear. I'm always curious about people. …That didn't sound any better.” Ms. Stark cleared her throat. She was probably blushing; Stannis found himself wondering how far that blush spread. “Anyways, if you want to come by the bakery, we close at six. Shall we say tomorrow, at six-thirty? I'll still be cleaning up. There won't be any customers in the way, and you'll have my full attention.”  
Stannis found himself blushing. The sordid part of his brain unhelpfully provided ideas of what he could do with Ms. Stark's full attention. “Six-thirty is perfect. I'll see you then, Ms. Stark.”  
“See you tomorrow, Mr. Baratheon.”

As soon as Ms. Stark ended the call, Stannis buried his face in his hands. Seven hells, he was in trouble. He liked Ms. Stark a great deal. She held his interest like no other woman had, not even Selyse. Seven hells, since the divorce no woman even _gained_ his interest. Shireen made it very clear that she liked Ms. Stark. She likely wouldn't object to Ms. Stark. That was not the main problem.

The problem was Ms. Stark's age. She was so young. Eddard was the same age as Robert, so eight years older than Stannis himself. He recalled Catelyn was twenty when she was pregnant with Ms. Stark; Robert had made some joke about her not drinking being from her age as much as her pregnancy. Some quick mental math showed there were thirteen years between himself and Ms. Stark. Not as large a gap as he originally thought, but still. And all this assumed she was even interested in him.

Stannis sighed. This was almost too much. He needed to rethink the decision to not keep whiskey at home. Perhaps tomorrow he'd ask Davos to recommend a good one for him. As he leaned back in his chair, Stannis swore he saw movement outside the door of his office. He stood up, striding quickly over to the doorway. No one was there. He must be more tired than he thought.

************************************************************

Shireen skidded inside her doorway, her heart racing and breathless from the near miss. “I almost got caught!”  
Myrcella smiled. “But did you die?” she said.  
“Ugh, enough with your meme references!” Shireen groaned. “Those only work on the internet.”  
“Nope, they work in real life, too,” Myrcella chirped, “but anyways, you're missing a huge point. They're meeting again tomorrow!”  
Shireen frowned at her cousin. “Cella, if you suggest I spy on them tomorrow, you're out of your freaking mind.”  
Myrcella tapped her chin thoughtfully. “I wasn't going to, but now that you mention it–”  
“Nope! Hanging up now. Bye!”  
“Wait, wai–!”

Shireen closed her laptop before Myrcella could say another word. While it would be nice to find out what her dad and Sansa did tomorrow, she could wait. She was not getting caught by her dad, just to satisfy her curiosity. He would be so disappointed in her, and Sansa probably would too. Shireen was not risking that. She texted Devan about the new development. He texted a thumbs up back. She was about to ask how his practice went, but a new message from Myrcella popped up.

_Cella: New idea. It's good, don't worry._

_Shireen: What is it?_

_Cella: Sansa said she taught cooking to get thru culinary school right?_

_Shireen: Yeah, why? What're you up to, bad influence?_

_Cella: Ha ha. Both you and your dad can't cook for sh--. Start dropping hints to your dad that you want to learn to cook. When we're at the bakery, we'll hint the same to Sansa. We'll get Sansa to become your cooking teacher!_

_Shireen: … … … … That might actually work. For once._

_Cella: Be glad I'm feeling merciful, puny mortal._  
_Cella: Time for the family screaming match that is dinner. Wish they'd just divorce already. Laters!_

A knock sounded on Shireen's door.  
“Dinner's here.”  
“Okay. Be out in a second.” Shireen quickly chucked her homework into her backpack. Opening her door, she walked to the dining room. Her dad was setting the table, so she filled the glasses with the filtered water from the pitcher in the fridge. The salmon looked, and smelled, mouth-watering. It was covered with a deliciously light sauce; if Shireen had to guess, she would say browned butter, lemon, and thyme. Myrcella was right about her needing cooking lessons. Shireen loved everything to do with cooking, she just couldn't cook. Her dad was pretty much hopeless as well. Maybe Sansa would agree to be her teacher? It couldn't hurt to mention it to Dad.

“Dad?”  
He looked up from his plate. “Yes?”  
“I was thinking about something. I really like cooking, I'm just horrible at it. Maybe I could get someone come here? Like the tutor I used to have for French, but for cooking.”  
“I'll certainly look into it.” He nodded, then looked curious. “What brought this on? You haven't mentioned it before.”  
“Oh, we had someone come to class the other day talking about college prep stuff and all that. They said a good way to make friends in the college is to cook, and invite other students over. It got me thinking about what would happen if both me and my roommate were bad at cooking. Sansa's mentioned how she put herself through culinary school giving cooking lessons, so. Books and videos haven't worked for me, so I thought having someone _here_ might be better.”  
“My roommate and I,” Her dad corrected automatically. “It's a good thing to think about, even if a little early. You're only a freshman.” He chewed a piece of asparagus. “I'll look into it. We'll have to see if it fits around your schedule, what with semester finals coming up in the next month.”  
“Please don't remind me,” she joked, shuddering in mock horror.  
Her dad's mouth twitched upward at the corner, and a sound that could have been called a chuckle escaped him. He knew as well as she did that she was perfectly prepared for her exams. “Finish your dinner. It's getting late.”

************************************************************

Sansa grabs a towel and wipes the sweat away from her forehead. The heat inside the bakery is almost unbearable. She can feels the warmth of her face, and she knows she looks flushed. Grabbing her sweetened lemon water from the fridge, she holds it to her cheeks, her forehead, the back of her neck. It's deliciously cooling on her skin, a welcome respite from the muggy warmth of the ovens that swamps the room. As she gulps down the water, droplets of condensation roll down the bottle and drop onto her neck. They roll down the length; normally an unwelcome feeling, they're refreshing now.

Stannis walks forward, his intense gaze following the droplets. He leans down, kissing them off her neck. Sansa sighs at the feeling of his tongue on her skin, her eyes fluttering closed. It feels as though her blood's been replaced with champagne; it's popping and fizzing in her veins. She feels almost drunk. Stannis moves his head back; Sansa feels bereft of his touch, and opens her eyes. As she meets his potent gaze, she knows that her flush is no longer from just the heat of the kitchen. She watches as his eyes move to her lips. He leans forward, leans down, and Sansa tips her head up. She feels his warm breath on her lips. Her eyes flutter shut as their lips meet. Stannis cradles her head in his large hand, tilting her head to better access her mouth. His lips are soft and warm, the gentle rasp of his stubble against her skin arousing her. They break apart, breathing in each other's air. He smells lightly of lemons, very fresh and bright.  
“Sansa,” he murmurs, “I–”

_You're the light, you're the night_  
_You're the color of my blood_  
_You're the cure, you're the pain_  
_You're the only thing I wanna touch_  
_Never knew I needed you so much, so much_

Sansa groaned as she rolled over and fumbled for her phone. Damn her alarm to the seven hells! The dream was wonderful. Was Stannis Baratheon that good a kisser in real life? As the remnants of sleep faded, the reality sunk in, and she bolted upright. She'd just had a dream about kissing Stannis Baratheon. Stannis Baratheon. This was beyond thinking of him as attractive. The last time she'd dreamt about kissing someone had been Joffrey; that had been the dream of a sixteen year old sophomore about her childhood crush. Idealized, yet vague and rather innocent. The dream about Stannis was _completely_ different. She continued to be electrified from the dream; she could still feel his phantom touches on her skin.

Desperate times called for desperate measures. Taking a deep breath, she waited for Margaery to answer her phone.  
“Hey Sansa! What's up?”  
“Margaery, I need some advice.” This may not be the best idea, but it was the only one she could think of.  
“Sure thing! Dish.”  
Sansa explained what had happened with Stannis, her feelings, and her worries. Hopefully, Margaery would offer more help than jokes.

Margaery didn't say anything for a while. Sansa started to worry. What was she thinking? Margaery probably wouldn't make fun of her; ever since she broke up with Harry, Margaery tried getting her back into the dating scene. Still, she didn't think Stannis Baratheon was Margaery's idea of a good date.  
“Well, I think if he isn't into you, he's crazy. You're gorgeous, kind, and Shireen likes you. He won't cheat on you. I mean, he and Selyse didn't really like each other, but he didn't cheat on her. He's no Robert.”  
“Or Harry, or Joffrey. I know that, it's one of the reasons I'm attracted to him. What I don't know is how do I go about this? Or even if I _should_.”  
“Why wouldn't you? His age?”  
“No, Shireen. Remember how Myrcella was when Renly tried to set you up with Robert?”  
“Ugh, I remember. Thank goodness Grandmother put a stop to that.”  
“So what if Shireen think's I'm a “gold-digging tart”?”  
On the other end, Margaery blew a raspberry. “Oh, _puh-lease_! Shireen already likes you! I doubt she'll hate you all of a sudden.”  
“But what if-”  
“Honey, you can “what if” yourself right out of happiness. There's lots of things that can go wrong in a relationship, even more when there's an age difference. What matters is that the people the relationship involves are happy. Honestly, I wouldn't have thought of you and Stannis Baratheon together if you hadn't mentioned it. Now that you have, I think he'd be good for you, and you'd definitely be good for him. You can't plan a relationship. Things happen for a reason, and when they happen. Maybe you'll only last a couple months, or maybe you'll last the rest of your lives. You won't know unless you actually do it. Forget all the what-ifs. What do you want?”  
“I want to try.”  
“Then you should.”

Margaery apparently considered the subject closed, because she started talking about what to make for the Baratheon Industries event. They came to the conclusion of nothing messy, and nothing that would need a fork. Although they didn't know how many people were gluten-free or vegan, they came up with some ideas for them as well. Finally, Margaery said her goodbyes, and cheekily reminded Sansa not to be late today.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A few days late, but here it is! The next chapter! I hope you all had a great holiday. I went to a James Bond-themed New Year's Eve party with a bunch of friends, which was amazing; we were all so fancy and glamorous.
> 
> I'm in the USA, and used to the 21-year age limit for drinking, so that's what I'm going with for Westeros. *Jedi hand-waving*
> 
> Anywhoo, thanks so much for reading! I have no idea when the next chapter will be up, so it'll be a surprise. xD  
> As always, comments and kudos are very much appreciated, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. :)


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